Rhone Tasting Report: Including some very good wines from Domaine de la Charbonniere

The Rhone Valley is one of my favorite wine regions in the world. The Northern Rhone is known for producing the best Syrah’s in the world which are spicy, terroir driven and complex. Red wines of the Southern Rhone, including the prized Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, are comprised of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault. Wines labeled Cotes du Rhone cover both the Northern and Southern Rhone Valley, and are generally wines that didn’t meet criteria for being labeled as a specific designation (which means they cost less and can be much better values!). Wines from the Rhone vary quite a bit from North to South, and appellation to appelation. One thing that remains constant, is the trueness to the terroir that these wines possess. The whites tend to have great minerality and good expressions of the fruits, whereas the red wines generally have good earth/soil characteristic to them, as well as spice and both red and dark fruit notes. (Image of Castle/Vineyard in Chateauneuf was uploaded from Flickr Photo uploaded on Flickr April 28th, 2007 by Fretless88 Creative Commons license).

Below are my tasting notes from a recent Rhone Wine Tasting at the Wine Source. This is part II in the Overview of the Rhone Valley feature I wrote yesterday. Overall, there were some very good wines poured and although not too many great “values” (under $20), there are a lot of good wines for the price if you can afford to pay a bit more. I’ve arranged the wines into categories to show which wines I feel are best for their price.

Must Buys

2007 Trinquevedel Travel ($19): This is a rose made from 7 grapes: Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah, Grenache Blanc, Mourvedre and Bourboulenc. The wine is quite nice, with big bright strawberry and cherry, good acidity and a touch of minerality. My rating: 88 pts, GV

2001 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape “Perdix” ($44): Great aroma’s of violet, cherry, and soiled mixed with sweet berries and tobacco. On the palate the wine is very elegant with flavors of sour cherry, subtle black tea component, and fresh soil. Tannins are soft and well matched with the acidity, cherry and earth reappear on the 30-45 second finish. Very nice wine. My rating: 93 pts, GV

2005 Domaine de la Charbonniere Vacqueyras Rouge ($24): Aroma’s of cherry, black fruits, and red pepper. Filled with ripe fruits, very subtle but noticable spices, and warm earth notes. Well balanced with an interesting, rounded finish. Really a great value wine. My rating: 91 pts, VGV

Worth The Price

2006 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas ($125): Great concentration of blackberry, cranberry, and a bit of dark raspberry, really tight, ripe fruits at this point. The tannins are huge, but there is good fruit and acidity to balance this wine out. Structured to age quite nicely, cellar this for at least 7-10 years. My rating: 93 pts, GV

2005 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape “Brusquieres” ($48): More complex and interesting than 2004, with dark cherry, plum, dark raspberry notes, wet soil, leather and spice. Big flavors throughout the wine, with moderate tannins, medium acidity and a long finish. My rating: 92 pts, VGV

2006 Domaine Auguste Clape St. Peray ($47): Fragrant nose of tropical fruits, citrus, jasmine, wildflowers and petrol. Apricot, peach, pear, grapefruit, and a handful of other fruits emerge on the palate- medium bodied with good minerality and very subtle acidity. Complex flavors and overall an enjoyable wine. My rating: 90 pts, GV

2004 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape “Brusquieres” ($40): Ripe cherry and plum notes with good acidity and elegant tannin structure. Some hint of minerals and earth show up on the finish. Young and tight, but should develop nicely. My rating: 89 pts, GV

2005 Philippe Faury St. Joseph Rogue ($25): Loads of red bell pepper, black pepper, tons of spice, quite enjoyable. We bought a few bottles, good value wine. My rating 89 pts, VGV

2006 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc ($44): Lemon rind, butterscotch, minerals, great texture, zingy acidity and overall nice balance. There’s a nice touch of yeast and an elegant finish. My rating: 88 pts, GV

2006 Domaine Auguste Clape Cotes du Rhone Rouge ($45): Pretty straightforward wine here. Nothing overly complex - ripe cherry, tobacco, spice notes. Nice touch of earth with good acidity on the attack and a spicy/earthy finish. Would be highly recommended at $25, but at this price there are many better options. My rating: 89 pts, GV

2006 Philippe Faury Syrah ($25): Very young with ripe fruits, spicy pepper and dusty tannins. A bit off with medium, spicy tannins and interesting acidity. Time in bottle may help it balance itself out adding a few points to this good value wine. My rating: 88 pts

2006 Catherine Le Goeuil Carianne “Lea Felsch” ($25): Good color, more fruit and better concentration than the 2005. Nice earth notes, layers of spice and ripe fruits. Overall a good wine. My rating: 87 pts, OKV

There May Be Better Values Out There

2005 Philippe Faury Cote Rotie ($43): Loads of ripe red and black fruits, light pepper notes, tobacco and miscellaneous spices. Good balance and overall a good wine, but nothing spectacular. My rating: 88 pts, OKV

2005 Philippe Faury Condrieu ($40): Aromas of wet slate, citrus and melon with overall nice structure. Very enjoyable texture that leads to a creamy finish. My rating: 88 pts, OKV

2006 Philippe Faury St-Joseph Blanc ($36): Pretty nose of exotic fruits, cream pudding and spice. Melon, citrus and lavender notes with a touch of minerality. Creamy texture, could use a touch more acidity through the finish. My rating: 87 pts, OKV

2005 Catherine Le Goeuil Carianne “Lea Felsch” ($17): Raspberry and cherry on the palate, but lacks concentration or a real presence, especially through the finish. Would pair well with grilled chicken. My rating: 84 pts, OKV